Bootleg for parkway cables



March 31, 1931.

a K. POST BOOTLEG FOR PARKWAY CABLES Filed Jan. 22, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet1 lnl llllllfi Jrw E. K. POST 1,798,494

22 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 31, 1931.

BOOTLEG FOR PARKWAY CABLES Filed Jan.

Patented Mar. 31, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ERNEST K. POST, OF COLLINGSWOOD,NEW JERSEY BOOTLEG FOR lARxwAY CABLES Application filed January 22,1929.

My invention relates to. protective devices for track circuit wires.

The purpose of my invention is to simplify bootleg parkway cableconnections.

5 A further purpose is to simplify and cheapen the portion of a bootlegterminal which provides for slack wire in the connection.

A further purpose is to hold a bootleg down by adaptation of thematerial of the body of l the bootleg to indentation and subsequentengagement by the ballast surrounding it.

A further purpose is to cheapen the materials required for bootleg useand to improve the connections with the bootleg.

A further purpose is to provide an extruded bootleg body with a slackwire compartment at the end. I also protect the means for attaching thecover to the bootleg by the ma te'rial of the bootleg.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

Figures 1 and 2 are an end elevation and a side elevation respectively,of a rail and the parts of the track adjacent the rail, showing thegeneral setting of my invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation showing the bootleg and connectiontherewith.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the structure seen in Figure 3.

In the drawings similar numerals indicate like parts.

The best existing bootleg parkway cable constructions known to mecomprise shafts or 35 posts of unyielding material and of smoothexterior surface, having a slack wire space in the upper part of thepost and requiring a flange atthe bottom of the post in order to preventthe post from working upwardly from its position as set. They are madefrom expensive materials and are subject to serious deterioration due toweather conditions.

Their bootleg caps are fastened on by bolts whose threads rapidlydeteriorate because of the attack upon them by salt water drippings fromrefrigerator cars passing over the railways.

My invention provides a preferably extruded material which is itself aninsulating material and which is substantially free from at- Serial No.334,161.

tack by the elements. The cap is held on by simple means protected bythe material of which the bootleg riser is composed and is plasticenough and yielding enough for the adjoining stone to impinge within theoriginal outline of the riser holding the riser down by the grip of thestone upon it.

Though wooden risers would not possess the entire advantage of theextruded form, they would have the advantage of cheapness and simplicityalong with sufficiently effective insulation, which I seek and offer tosecure a considerable part ofthe benefit of my invention.

Describing the best form known to me in compliance with the statute:

The bootleg riser or shaft 6 is of uniform exterior surface and ofpreferably rectangular section. It is hollow at 7 to provide a space forthe parkway cable 8 to pass up through the length of the riser. Becauseof the character of material used for the riser there is not much dangerof the lower inner edges 9 of the bootleg cutting the insulation aboutthe cable; and even if they did so the parkway cable conductor 10 wouldnot be short-circuited because the bootleg is itself an insulator.

At the upper end of the riser space is provided for a compartment 11 topermit slack ing of the conductor as at 12, the space being provided bycutting away the material transversely along the lines 13 and 14. Thepro jection 15 which remains is kerfed or grooved as at 16 to give roomfor passage of the wires 17 of any suitable track circuit connectorwhose terminal 18 is connected with the end 19 of the parkway cableconductor.

My invention does not concern the particular form of track circuitconnection used nor the terminal by which the parkway cable wire isconnected to it.

Upon the top of the riser is placed a cap or bonnet 20 which may protectthe track circuit wires as much as desired by means of a depending lip21.

The cap is held in place by lag screws 22. For the purpose of permittingquick removal of the cap without taking the lag screws out the rearflange 23 of the cap is slotted as at 24 so as to fit down over the lagscrews. The rear flange is thickened at the bottom near the slots so asto require more than accidental loosening of the lag screws before thecap can be removed.

The cap is provided with side flanges which cooperate with the front andback flanges and the top 26 to protect the space or compartment 11 fromintrusion of the elements The cap is provided with a rib 27 which restsupon the top of the bootleg post at the rear so as automatically todetermine the depth to which the cap can be lowered over the riser.

In construction the preferred uniform thickness and section of the risermake extrusion of the post quite satisfactory and permit the use in theriser of any extrudable material such as the various asphalticcompositions, which do not rot nor rust when placed under ground. Thesematerials are fair insulators and hence save the necessity for usinginsulating bushing such as are required with metal bootlegs.

The rough exterior surface and the relative plasticity of the materialpermit the ballast to cut or press into the material of the riser withconsiderable force, causing the mass of the ballast to grip the riserfirmly.

It will be evident that the use of plastic material renders the usualholding flange at the bottom unnecessary and makes the riser nestautomatically into its setting of ballast; and that at the same time itseconomy and durability are much beyond those of the more elaboraterisers now in use. Since the cap shows above the track the finish of thepost may be made to satisfy any requirements.

In view of my invention and disclosures variations and modifications tomeet indi-v vidual whim or particular need will doubtless become evidentto others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits ofmy invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore,claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit andscope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A bootleg for a parkway cable comprisingan extruded insulated material having uniform exterior and interiorsection throughout the greater part of its length and having a plasticexterior surface.

2. A hollow bootleg riser of material sufliciently plastic to yieldunder pressure of the ballast so that the rock of the ballast impingeswithin the body of the riser'and the ballast holds the riser down by theengagement of the impinged ballast.

3. A bootleg for a parkway cable comprising a riser of material adaptedto yield with pressure of the ballast to imbed the ballast slightlywithin the exterior surface of the riser and hollow to permit theparkway cable to come up through the riser and a cap for the riserhaving an opening in the assemblage of bootleg, riser and cap for trackcircuit wire insertion to connect with the cable.

4:. A bootleg riser comprising a hollow insulating material ofrectangular cross section and plastic exterior surface, grooved througha portion of the top to permit entry of track circuit wires andtransversely cut away togive room for connection of these wires with theparkway cable, a parkway cable therein, track circuit wires, and a capfitting over the top of the riser and protecting the space for junctionbetween the track circuit wires and parkway cable from the weather.

5. A hollow bootleg riser having a kerfed projection at its upper end atone side of the riser, of uniform cross section throughout substantiallythe length of the riser and of material yielding to the pressure of theballast so that the ballast impinges within the normal surface of theriser and holds the riser in position.

6. A hollow bootleg riser having a plastic surface and of uniform crosssection from the bottom substantially to the top, a longitudinallyextending projection at one side of the riser mechanically protectingfor admission of track circuit wires, track circuit wires, a parkwaycable within the riser, and a cap raised from the top of the riser tofit over the projection and to provide a. space beneath the cap fortrack circuit and parkway cable connection.

7. A hollow bootleg riser of plastic material and of uniform crosssection throughout substantially its entire length, a cap for the riserand holding means for retaining the cap to the riser comprising a lagscrew adapted to screwinto the bootleg riser and thus to protect thethreads of the lag screw by the plastic material of the riser.

8. A hollow bootleg riser of plastic material in the upper part of theriser, a cap for the riser and a screw retaining the cap on the riser,threading into the riser and having the threads of the screw protectedby the plastic material of the riser.

ERNEST K. POST.

